GOLF RISING IN CHENNAI

Bharath Arvind

As the peak of summer sets in, several kids in Chennai are having their first tryst with golf. After a considerable gap, the Madras Gymkhana Club has re-started its summer camp and is being very well received. Pradyumna Prakash, Head Coach at Madras Gymkhana Club added, “We were expecting 25-30 kids to join but we received 50 registrations in 2 days. Junior golf is looking good and positive in Chennai with facilities like Golfers Edge – a brand new indoor golf Centre in Alwarpet and Madras Gymkhana Club. Golf clubs and committees of golf clubs are very supportive at the moment to encourage youngsters from all backgrounds which will grow the game.” Coaches like Sandeep Syal, Jayanan Satagopal and Pradyumna Prakash have boosted the quality of coaching in the city along with other certified coaches owing to the NGAI’s (National Golf Academy of India) certification program. Golfer’s Edge Chennai (GEC), an air-conditioned indoor facility, which opened its doors in March 2023, features a golf simulator and a putting green to enable people to learn the game in an accessible, affordable and comfortable way. GEC is also conducting a Summer Golf Camp in two batches in May and in just over a month since opening has already begun coaching over 15 kids in the city. Such seems to be the interest in the game amongst the next generation.

Chennai has only two 18-hole golf courses with the TNGF Cosmopolitan Club course as the other track in the city. A 9- hole executive course at Hiranandani Parks in Oragadam, a considerable distance from the city also offers an opportunity for residents who live in the vicinity. Chariot Beach Resort in Mahabalipuram also features an executive 9-hole track giving the Chennai area yet another option.